Gill kicks off Riley Center 10th-anniversary season
Vince Gill
Vince Gill, one of the most popular singers in country music and one of the nicest guys in show business, will kick off the MSU Riley Center’s 10th-anniversary season with a 7:30 p.m. concert on Thursday [Sept. 8].
Gill broke through to stardom in 1990 with the plaintive heartbreak song “When I Call Your Name.” It won the first of his amazing strings of 20 Grammy Awards and 18 Country Music Association awards. Such hits as “I Still Believe in You,” “Don’t Let Our Love Start Slippin’ Away” and “One More Last Chance” showcased his warm, soaring tenor voice. He also writes thoughtful, emotive songs, plays guitar brilliantly and charms audiences with his easygoing, self-deprecating sense of humor.
As a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ole Opry and the recipient of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, he could take things easy these days. Instead, he continues to craft new records in his home studio. He performs regularly with the Nashville-based Western swing band The Time Jumpers, just because he enjoys it. He keeps up a busy concert schedule, both on his own and with his wife, singer Amy Grant, savoring that intimate connection with his fans.
In a word, Gill is genuine. His Riley Center audience is in for a treat.
The show will launch the 2016-17 Fall/Winter Performing Arts Series, which runs into March 2017. The 14 performances in the series will feature live country, blues, rock, jazz, and soul music from such giants as the Oak Ridge Boys, Keb’ Mo’, Melissa Etheridge, Wynton Marsalis, and Patti LaBelle; visually stunning contemporary dance from today’s hottest choreographer, Jessica Lang; an exuberant musical and a throwback murder mystery play; and three theatrical Family Shows designed to delight all ages.
For select shows, the Riley Center invites ticket holders to arrive an hour and a half before curtain time for a party with free refreshments. For the full, exciting Fall/Winter lineup, see www.msurileycenter.com.
The 10-year celebration of the Riley Center’s grand reopening, which took place in September 2006, makes the series even more special. The elegant theater, a high Victorian showplace, originally opened in 1890 but closed amid legal disputes in 1927. Its $25 million renovation has sparked an ongoing renaissance in historic downtown Meridian.
The Riley Center thanks The Riley Foundation, all of its sponsors and other supporters and especially its patrons for a great opening decade.
Tickets are $80 and $74 at the MSU Riley Center Box Office, which is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tickets can be purchased online at www.msurileycenter.com or by calling the box office at 601-696-2200.
